Awning Heating and Lighting

What is infra red quartz heating

Infrared quartz heater uses short wavelengths, which penetrate the air easier. The infrared generates heat by heating the solid objects that it meets with without heating the air around the body or object making it more efficient, so the heat transmission will not be affected by drafts or wind.

What do I need to install a Quartz heater unit?

Installation could not be simpler – a standard 13 amp socket (waterproof if outside) is all that is needed, and mounted with the bracket provided to a convenient wall surface at least 2.3 metres high. When several units are to be installed the electric supply may well have to be increased to cope with the extra power required

Is quartz awning heating safe

Yes, quartz infrared elements emit short wave light which cannot be compared with the longer wavelengths of light such as UV, microwave or with X-rays, so are completely safe with no tanning effects at all.

How many heaters will I need under my awning?

This will depend on the size of awning cover or umbrella you choose but we would recommend two heaters under a 4-metre wide awning and maybe more under larger sizes but the heat emitted is very directional and can be directed straight onto the area required. The heaters all have various power ratings varying typically from 1.3 kilowatts to 2 kilowatts in domestic applications.

Infrared is silent allowing you to enjoy peace and quite on your patio.

Infrared is clean, no smells and almost maintenance free.

Infrared is compact, clean and simple to operate.

Infrared warms instantly at the speed of light.

Infrared is efficient with no wasteful heating of the air, it warms the surfaces that it meets and is unaffected by draughts, just like the sun but without the harmful UV. Most of all you will find infrared heating economical with extremely low running costs over two thirds cheaper than gas. Of course the environment issues associated with gas powered heaters is now also a very big issue and they are likely to be banned in the near future.

The pleasure of radiant heat from an infra red heater on a chilly spring evening is something you can have nowadays in many of our awning ranges.

Give your customers something special in the outdoor eating or drinking area.

Glass Fronted Patio Heaters

Many people are confused as to whether or not they need an electric patio heater with a glass front.

When outdoor electric halogen patio heaters were first conceived, the only way of making them waterproof and protect the lamp unit was by placing glass in front of it, however, the glass itself created significant problems. Glass was known to cut out a large proportion of infrared. These problems have been partially solved but even the best glass still blocks about 20% of the infrared heat emitted from even the best patio heaters. A cheaper outdoor infrared heater might emit as little as 50% of the heat being generated. This shortens the life of the lamp unit and often leads to shattered glass and blown lamps as the heat cannot disperse properly.

Recent changes in the technology of the infrared lamp unit itself have meant that the glass is not necessarily needed to waterproof the heater and in fact, has significant disadvantages. Unless used in a particularly dirty type of factory environment where protect against dust and dirt ingress is needed, most manufacturers are moving away from them.

It is now only older style of electric patio heaters that use glass fronts and generally these are the lower powered 1.3kW lamps that are now gradually being phased out.

Cheap electric patio heaters are nearly always glass fronted.

They never last very long and are ultimately an expensive waste of money. Exceptions can be made for the larger units which can disperse the heat reasonably well.

There is widespread experience of particularly short lamp life with many glass fronted electric heaters. This is often due to them not being properly looked after in their 1st hour of use. Once turned on for 45 minutes or so, a dust build up will occur on the glass front and on the reflector surface behind. This dust MUST be wiped off to avoid the heater retaining too much heat and blowing the lamp or shattering the glass. This is a one off clean and will not need doing again.